Somebody
by jwolf11209
Summary: Edward has been waiting to find that special someone since he first became a vampire. He watched as his family found their mates and he was left single and lonely. Will he ever find the one who will make all his dreams--daydreams, that is--come true?
1. Chapter 1

Title: Somebody

Author: jwolf11209

Pairing: Edward/Jacob

Rating: M

Warning: M/M, language

Disclaimer: The characters used in this story do not belong to me. Lyrics are from the song, "Gotta Be Somebody" and belong to Chad Kroeger and Nickelback. No copyright infringement intended.

Part: 1

Summary: Edward had been waiting to find that special someone since he first became a vampire. He had watched as his family found their mates, and he was left single. Will he ever find the one who will make all his dreams (daydreams, that is) come true?

A/N #1: Bella doesn't exist in this story, at least not in the eyes of Edward.

A/N #2: I honestly thought I would have the next chapter to _Unexpected_ done and posted last week, but it's giving me a lot of problems. And since I wasn't having any luck writing that, I decided I should at least give everyone something to read to try and make up for it. I'm trying, seriously.

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Part 1

* * *

_This time, I wonder what it feels like  
To find the one in this life, the one we all dream of  
But dreams just aren't enough  
So I'll be waiting for the real thing, I'll know it by the feeling_

Love. He had been waiting so long to find it, watching everyone around him living happily with that one person who made them feel complete. If he could dream, he knew that every single night would feature that elusive _one_ who would come and give his life meaning.

The one who would intrigue him enough to keep his attention eternally. They wouldn't even have to try. Their very presence would make his heart sing and his eyes light with joy.

He had been waiting for them for years. Eighty-eight years to be exact. He had been yearning for companionship ever since the day he was changed into a vampire. He loved his family, but it wasn't the same.

He had watched as his family grew over the years. He had watched as first Carlisle and then Rosalie found someone to share their life with. After that, Alice and Jasper had shown up, having already met each other. And he was happy for them, truly. They deserved their happiness, and he would never wish his own fate on any of them.

None of them deserved this painful existence. And they assured him that he didn't either. They worried about him, he knew. And they told him to wait. They assured him that if he was patient he would find someone to ease his loneliness.

And so that is what he did. He waited, and he knew that he would know that person when they came along. He would recognize them, because they would be the only person who could truly make him _feel_.

_The moment when we're meeting, will play out like a scene  
Straight off the silver screen  
So I'll be holding my own breath, right up 'til the end  
Until that moment when, I find the one that I'll spend forever with_

He had imagined this moment countless times. The moment when he finally found his one true love. It would be picture perfect, like a scene straight out of a movie, or maybe a play.

It would be like in_ Romeo and Juliet_, when Romeo spots a girl from across the room and stares, transfixed. He asks a server who she is, but he does not know. And it was just like that, only he was in a hospital, and it was the worst possible time to be meeting _the one_, because _the one _was standing alongside a man who was obviously ill. More than ill.

Acute Myocardial Infarction. From across the room Edward could hear the man's heart straining. The irregular beats signaled the seriousness of the situation. Dark hair was plastered to the man's forehead, his face shiny with sweat. His eyes were wide with fear, his breath coming in short, sharp gasps.

But all that was in the periphery. Edward's focus kept shifting back to the boy. Silky ebony hair stuck up haphazardly from his head. Flawless russet skin glowed underneath fluorescent lights that made everyone else look sickly. Dark brows were furrowed, worry conveyed clearly within bottomless brown eyes.

There were others with the man as well. A woman, his wife most likely, clutched his hand as tears streamed down her face. She was barely holding herself together, her body heaving with every sob she tried to stifle with her fist. A boy and girl stood on either side of her, both struggling with their own emotions. The children.

So who was the boy who stood off to the side, showing his support but remaining unobtrusive?

Edward watched as a nurse tried to pry the woman away from her husband, the children whispering words of comfort in her ears. The man needed medical attention immediately. It wouldn't help, though. Not now. It was already too late.

The man's heart made a half-hearted effort to keep his blood pumping, but the blockage was preventing it. The man's eyes turned glassy, the lack of oxygen reaching his brain getting to him. And moments later, his heart beat its last.

The doctors would try to save him, try to get his heart pumping again, but he was weak. Even if they managed to restart his heart and get him into surgery, he would most likely have permanent brain damage if he survived.

Finally able to pry the woman away from her husband, medical staff rushed the man away. Edward knew it was too late. The family had driven to the hospital from La Push, the reservation near Forks, Washington. They had traveled too far and the man's heart wasn't strong enough to help him survive.

It wasn't the meeting he had imagined, not really. Yes, he had been transfixed by the boy, but he would have preferred different circumstances. A more cheerful environment. Instead, _the one_ had just watched someone he knew, probably a family friend, die. He had watched as the family of that man tried in vain to comfort one another.

It also wasn't the person he had imagined. A boy from the Quileute tribe wasn't exactly an ideal mate for him, especially since he was forbidden to set foot on their reservation. His _one_ was a descendant of the wolves, the very creatures created to destroy his kind, the vampires.

But none of that mattered when the boy turned away from the grieving family and their eyes met. The boy stood, transfixed, just as Edward had been, and it was perfect.

_Cause nobody wants to be the last one there  
Cause everyone wants to feel like someone cares  
Someone to love with my life in their hands  
There's gotta be somebody for me like that  
Cause nobody wants to do it on their own  
And everyone wants to know they're not alone  
There's somebody else that feels the same somewhere  
There's gotta be somebody for me out there_

Edward forgot that he was supposed to be meeting Carlisle, he forgot that he had important news to share with his father, and all he could do was stare into those beautiful chocolate eyes.

He had always wondered why every one of the people he loved was able to find their _one_ when he couldn't. He was the only single member of his family. The only one who felt as though he would die of loneliness if it were possible.

Edward wanted someone who would make him feel whole, and he wanted to be that for someone too. He wanted someone that he could love and take care of. Someone who he couldn't live without, or at least wouldn't want to.

Everyone assured him that there had to be someone out there for him, but as the years had gone by, his hope had slowly diminished. It was still there, hanging by a thread, but his belief that he would find his love grew smaller with each year that passed.

He couldn't give up, though, because his family loved him, and they would be hurt if he gave up. He had to believe that there was someone out there meant just for him.

And now he was seeing that person for the first time, and questions buzzed around in his head, vying for attention.

_Tonight, out on the street, out in the moonlight  
And dammit this feels too right, it's just like déjà vu  
Me standing here with you  
So I'll be holding my own breath, could this be the end  
Is it that moment when, I find the one that I'll spend forever with_

They ended up outside the hospital, standing on the damp cement of the parking lot, light from the moon just barely lighting them from behind the clouds. Now that they were away from the lights and sounds of the hospital, Edward was finally able to concentrate fully on the boy who had captured his attention.

His surprise, along with the lights and sounds of the hospital, had distracted Edward enough that he hadn't been able to recognize the boy's thoughts. But now he could hear them, loud and clear, and he was completely entranced.

He hadn't known for sure while they were inside, but now Edward realized that not only was this boy a descendant of the wolves, he _was_ a wolf. He'd always heard that a vampire would be able to smell a wolf from miles off. That their stench would burn. That wasn't the case, at least not for him.

The boy's scent was wonderfully masculine, woodsy and sweet all at the same time. But it was hard to focus on that when the boy's thoughts were going a mile a minute.

_A vampire. I imprinted on a fucking vampire! The pack is gonna kill me! How am I even going to explain this? Just say 'I met him in the hospital while the doctors were trying and failing to save Harry?' Yeah, that would go over well. But then again, what the hell was this vampire doing in a hospital? How was he able to be around all that blood and not attack anyone? The _cold ones_ are supposed to be blood-thirsty monsters, but this guy was just standing around in a hospital, looking comfortable as could be, not attacking anyone._

This scene could be straight out of Edward's imagination if he weren't standing with a supposed enemy. He sucked in a breath, holding it even though it wasn't really necessary for him to breathe. The scent of his _one_ caressed his nostrils, teasing him into letting out the breath just so he could take in more of that delicious scent.

Would this relationship end before it had even begun? Would the boy refuse to acknowledge their connection because of the feud between their species? Or would this be the moment that he found the one person he could share the rest of his life with?

_Cause nobody wants to be the last one there  
Cause everyone wants to feel like someone cares  
Someone to love with my life in their hands  
There's gotta be somebody for me like that  
Cause nobody wants to do it on their own  
And everyone wants to know they're not alone  
There's somebody else that feels the same somewhere  
There's gotta be somebody for me out there_

He didn't want this to be the end. Edward had finally found someone who he knew he could love, someone who pulled at his heart as no one else ever had. He didn't know how it had happened. He didn't even know this boy, but one look into those warm brown eyes had changed him forever.

Edward couldn't handle being the odd one out anymore. He couldn't stand to see his family look at him with pity in their eyes, wishing they could help him in some way. There was nothing they could do. They couldn't give him the kind of love he desired. They couldn't make him feel as if he was the only person they would ever need in their lives.

That's what he wanted, but what if the only person he'd ever found who could give those things to him, didn't want to? What if this boy would rather let this chance slide by in order to stay on good terms with his family?

Edward could understand, really he could, but what if this was the only chance he would get? What if this boy was the only one who could ever make him feel like he did right now?

Was it possible that the boy felt the same way as Edward did? Or would he forever be searching for another chance, another person who could make him feel like he did in the mere presence of this boy? They hadn't even spoken, and Edward already felt as though his world was brighter, and his life had new purpose.

And if this boy wouldn't give him a chance, would there be someone else out there that could feel the same way as he did? Would there be someone else who could complete him? He didn't think so.

_You can't give up, looking for a diamond in the rough  
You never know, when it shows up, make sure you're holding on  
Cause it could be the one, the one you're waiting on  
Cause nobody wants to be the last one there  
And everyone wants to feel like someone cares  
Someone to love with my life in their hands  
There's gotta be somebody for me, ohhh_

He had to try. Even if it would be difficult, even if their families were enemies, Edward had to give it a shot. This might be his only chance at true love, and he couldn't just throw it away.

"What's your name?" he asked, finally breaking the silence between them. The boy jerked, apparently surprised by the sudden inquiry.

"Um…Jake," he said, his hands shoved in the pockets of loose cut-offs. "Jacob Black."

It was only then that Edward noticed the lack of shoes. The boy was wearing nothing but the shorts and a ratty sleeveless shirt. Even in the cool, damp weather, Jacob radiated heat. Edward could feel it from where he was standing a few feet away.

"My name is Edward Cullen," Edward replied, trying to figure out which question he should ask first. There were so many of them swirling around in his head. And he didn't want to frighten the boy, but…

"What exactly is imprinting?"

Jacob's eyes widened, surprise and confusion battling for dominance in their endless depths. "Did I say that out loud?" he asked, but Edward was pretty sure the wolf knew that he hadn't. He answered anyway.

"No." But he didn't explain. Surely Jacob would be able to figure it out on his own. With all the stories he had apparently been told about the_ cold ones_, surely there had been mention of special abilities at one point.

"You can hear my thoughts?" the wolf asked, and Edward was surprised that he sounded more interested than horrified. Most people (the ones who actually knew about his ability) didn't like the fact that it was difficult to hide anything around him, that he was able to hear their most private thoughts. That didn't seem to be the case with his _one_.

Maybe this would work out after all. There was still the problem of the wolf's family, but maybe he would be able to look past that in order to find love.

_Nobody wants to do it on their own  
And everyone wants to know they're not alone  
There's somebody else that feels the same somewhere  
There's gotta be somebody for me out there  
Nobody wants to be the last one there  
Cause everyone wants to feel like someone cares  
There's somebody else that feels the same somewhere  
There's gotta be somebody for me out there_

"Uh…imprinting," the wolf said, obviously just now remembering Edward's question. "Imprinting is meant to bring a wolf to their chosen mate. It's a connection that can't be denied, so deep that it hurts to be away from that person. An imprint is the most precious thing a wolf could ever find."

"So…" Edward started, hardly able to believe that such a thing could have happened to _him_. That such a special connection could have been formed with a creature that was made to destroy his kind. Was this meant to be the start of an alliance between their families? There had to be some important reason that they were brought together, right? But Jacob was under the impression that his family would react badly, which could be a potential problem.

"You think your family is going to be angry about this?"

Jacob bit his lip, drawing Edward's attention to his mouth. Full, plump lips. He wanted to devour them, especially when the wolf stopped chewing on them, obviously noticing where Edward's gaze was locked, and they were shiny and swollen and red. So kissable. Beautiful.

"Yeah, they're not gonna like it," Jacob whispered, looking worried now. Edward stepped forward, wanting to comfort him. Their eyes met once again when Edward laid a hand on Jacob's shoulder, and the desire he saw in those eyes…it made him hotter than he had ever felt before.

Before he could even think to stop himself, Edward sank his other hand into the silkiness of Jacob's hair and brought their faces together for a kiss. It was soft, sweet, and it gave him more pleasure than he had ever thought possible. And when Jacob returned the kiss, whimpering softly, Edward knew that he had finally found someone who could share his feelings. Someone who could share his life.

He'd found him, now Edward just had to make sure he kept him. Forever.

* * *

This is my first attempt at a song fic, so please let me know what you think. I'm planning on adding on to the story, so suggestions are welcome if you'd like to contribute. Thanks for reading! ;)


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Somebody

Author: jwolf11209

Pairing: Edward/Jacob

Rating: M

Warning: M/M, language

Disclaimer: The characters used in this story do not belong to me. Lyrics are from the song, "If Today Was Your Last Day" and belong to Chad Kroeger and Nickelback. No copyright infringement intended.

Part: 2

Summary: Edward had pretty much admitted to wanting Jake in his life, which made him unspeakable giddy, but seeing his imprint looking so sad and lonely sent those emotions to the back seat, allowing his concern to overshadow his happiness.

A/N #1: The use of another Nickelback song is entirely cooincidental. I do not plan to use their songs in every chapter.

A/N #2: Just a warning...I can't make any promises as to how often any of my stories will be updated. It seems to be taking a long time to get them written, so I'll just be posting as often as I can. Sorry for being so slow, it's really not intentional!

One more thing and then I swear I'll shut up. This story has gotten more reviews for just the first chapter than any other I've written, and I just want to give special thanks to everyone who gave their opinion. So hugs to all reviewers and everyone else who read the first part of this story and enjoyed it!

Here's to lelann37, SerialAuthor, TrinityYoru, Mfoto, Minxmessenger, Utena-Puchiko-nyu, iloveromance156, samster1819, rebelwilla, The Marching Ghost, Cherry Jade, Navygirl14, Shiroro, hope and fate, Tranicemarie, lillikitty, BritneyCullen, Pace1818, Sayomi-hime, keyboo, and VAVikingGirl. Thank you!

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Part 2

* * *

_My best friend gave me the best advice  
He said each day's a gift and not a given right  
Leave no stone unturned, leave your fears behind  
And try to take the path less traveled by  
That first step you take is the longest stride_

He felt as if everyone was always waiting for his next big mistake. Waiting for him to snap and do something stupid. They acted as if it was a crime for him to be upset about becoming this _creature_ that he just didn't want to be. He hadn't wanted anything to change. But, of course, change was inevitable.

'You can't see Bella anymore, Jake, it's too dangerous!' and 'This is your duty to the tribe, Jake, so you should show a little more respect!'

It seemed like the only things ever said to him anymore were reminders of what he should or shouldn't do. It was like he didn't even have a choice in how to live his life. The only place he ever found refuge was at the Clearwater's house. Seth and Leah were like siblings to him, and Sue and Harry treated him like a member of the family.

Of course, Harry was one of the Quileute elders, but he never seemed to put as much pressure on Jake as the others always did. Harry didn't blame him for being upset about his heritage, and he didn't find fault with Jake's anger over being told he could no longer see one of his best friends.

Jake was the strongest in his pack, the largest too, but he couldn't honestly say that he was the one with the most control. That would be Sam, without doubt. But that didn't mean he would hurt Bella. He had never been angry with her, so he couldn't see losing control enough to shift and hurt her. He had learned a lot about how to control himself in the short time since his transformation.

And there was another problem. After Jake had finally gone through the change, everyone had expected him to take over the pack. Sam was all ready to step down from his position as the Alpha and let Jake take the reins.

So once again he was letting everyone down when he refused his rightful position in the pack. They had all been waiting for him to take over, but Jake didn't want that responsibility. He didn't even want to be a wolf, let alone be responsible for a whole pack of them! He didn't know what to do. There were all these expectations from all these different people, from his _family_, and he was letting them all down.

But just because most everyone else seemed fine with just going along with the elders and following the rules didn't mean he had to be, right? That was the problem, though. He felt like he _did_ have to. He didn't want to disappoint them. He loved his father, he just didn't like how judgmental and closed-off he was becoming.

Billy had stopped hanging out with Charlie after Jake went through his change, as if to prove that friends outside the tribe weren't at all necessary. As if to say that it was no big deal for Jake to have to give up Bella's friendship.

Seth had told him once that he should always go with his instincts, that he shouldn't live his life according to other's expectations. Seth and Leah seemed to be the only ones who fully understood his reluctance to go along with what everyone wanted for him. They both agreed that he shouldn't have to sacrifice his own happiness in order to make others happy. That it was his life, and he should live it the way he wanted to, before it was too late.

The direction others saw his life going wasn't necessarily right for him. He needed to make his own way, and figure out what he needed to do in order to make his life meaningful in his own eyes. He had endlessly pondered their advice, wondering what he could do to change things that he didn't really have control over.

And now, with the broken remnants of his surrogate family gathered around him, all of his problems seemed trivial in comparison, though Seth's words rang even louder in his head than ever before as he realized how fragile life really was. Harry was dead, and it was entirely unexpected. And even though he loved the Clearwater's, he felt as if he was intruding now, as if he shouldn't have been a witness to their shared misery.

It had been necessary for him to bring them here. Sue had been nearly hysterical when Harry's condition was discovered, and it had taken both Leah and Seth to keep her calm enough to get them all to the hospital. But now he was just standing off to the side, unable to do anything but watch as they comforted each other amidst the chaos of the emergency room.

He turned away from the sight of his friends' tears, trying to give them a modicum of privacy, and stiffened when he met the eyes of a boy standing across the room from him. His reaction was instantaneous.

Everything around him disappeared. There was no hospital, no sounds of sickness or distress or heartbreak. The only person he could focus on was the boy, whose gaze was still fixed on him. He felt his heartbeat speed up, heard the pounding rhythm in his head. It was the only sound he could recognize, the only sound that penetrated the haze his mind had fallen into.

And then he felt disconnected, like his life force no was no longer tied to the earth. He was drifting along with nothing to ground him, but then he felt the pull and he knew. The boy across the room, the one who was still staring at him as if there were no one else in the busy hospital, was his imprint. His soul mate.

All at once the disconnected feeling went away, to be replaced with the overwhelming truth that he would never again feel at peace with himself or the rest of the world as long as the boy wasn't his. He had to make him his. There was no other option. If Jake could not convince the boy to let him into his life, well…life would no longer be worth living.

_If today was your last day  
And tomorrow was too late  
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?  
Would you live each moment like your last?  
Leave old pictures in the past  
Donate every dime you have?  
If today was your last day_

It wasn't until he got closer to the boy that he realized how difficult this would be. Difficult, but not in the way he had originally thought. The boy, although that term no longer seemed particularly fitting, seemed equally as fascinated with Jake as Jake was with him. The problem, although it wasn't exactly something that _Jake_ cared about, was that the boy was a vampire.

He wasn't sure how he could have missed it. The smell should have alerted him before he ever stepped foot in the hospital, but to be fair, Jake had been a little preoccupied at the time.

Jake inhaled deeply, taking in the vampire's scent, wondering why he found the aroma so appealing when he had been told the scent of vampires was sickeningly sweet and stung the nostrils with its intensity. He had never actually met a vampire, so the only things he knew were based on what others had told him.

The stories had been less than complimentary. He'd been told that the vampires were the reason their wolf gene had awakened in the first place. It had been dormant for years because the Cullen family had moved away from Forks, but now that they were back, the tribe was in need of protection again. It was basically the Cullen's fault that he had been forced to become this creature that he didn't want to be, but he had never been able to blame them for it.

He couldn't make himself believe all the horror stories told about the _cold ones_ when shortly after it was mentioned, almost as an after-thought, that the Cullen's only consumed animal blood. They had never been known to harm a human in Forks, and they had never crossed the La Push border after the treaty was created. They had done nothing to earn the hatred of his people, and yet the stories told around the Quileute campfires made them out to be vicious, soulless, mindless monsters.

These vampires, at least, weren't what his tribe made them out to be.

But it wasn't until they had silently agreed to bring their introduction outside that the full implications of the situation hit him, and the panic that hadn't quite managed to take over in the hospital clouded his mind for a moment.

_A vampire. I imprinted on a fucking vampire! The pack is gonna kill me! How am I even going to explain this? Just say 'I met him in the hospital while the doctors were trying and failing to save Harry?' Yeah, that would go over well. But then again, what the hell was this vampire doing in a hospital? How was he able to be around all that blood and not attack anyone? The _cold ones_ are supposed to be blood-thirsty monsters, but this guy was just standing around in a hospital, looking comfortable as could be, not attacking anyone._

It wasn't until after his minor freak-out that Jake realized that his thoughts were contradicting each other. His own personal feelings about the vampires were being bowled over by the stories that had been pounded into his brain by his Alpha and the elders in his tribe since his recent transformation.

He knew that the Cullen's weren't as blood-thirsty as they were made out to be, but that hadn't stopped him from questioning them. Although, he couldn't deny that it must be hard for them to keep control of their bloodlust, especially in a hospital. Jake actually found himself admiring the vampire's strength and control.

Jake knew he had a decision to make, and soon. Harry's sudden death was making him realize how important it was to live in the moment, to take advantage of every opportunity before it was too late. Trying to form a relationship with his imprint may alienate him from his tribe and pack, but it could be a way out of a life that was making him miserable.

He would hate for his family and friends to turn against him, but if that was the only way for him to be near his imprint, Jake thought he might be willing to make that sacrifice. His life would deteriorate even more if he didn't make an effort to get to know his imprint. Jake didn't know how long he would be able to survive without him.

Jake was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard the vampire suck in a deep breath, seeming to hold it in before breathing deeply once more. He could see the conflicting emotions in the vampires golden eyes, the fear and pain and longing that he didn't seem able to hide. He couldn't stop the hope from welling up in his chest. Did those emotions mean that the vampire would be amenable to some kind of relationship with him?

Jake could remember a time when his family was all together, and the love between his mother and father was something that couldn't be denied. Even at such a young age, Jake had known how rare and special and beautiful a love like theirs was, and he had wanted to grow up and have something like that for himself.

Those memories had to be left in the past, though, because everything was different now. He didn't know who his father was anymore, couldn't even compare the man Billy had become with the man in the past who had been such a loving husband and father, content as long as his family was happy. It hurt him to think of what was becoming of the man he had worshipped as a child. He didn't know what had happened to cause this drastic change.

He would have thought it stemmed from his mother's death, but the changes were too recent for that to be the case. Jake supposed his transformation might be the cause, but he wasn't sure how that could have brought about such a drastic turnaround. Billy had to have known it was coming…right? He really didn't know, but it didn't make sense to him.

He jerked when the silence was broken suddenly by the vampire's voice.

"What's your name?" the vampire asked, and Jacob supposed he shouldn't have been so surprised by the question, but the whole meeting his imprint thing had completely blind-sided him.

"Um…Jake," he said, shoving his hands into the pockets of his cut-offs, trying really hard not to fidget. Edward's intent stare was doing things to him that he'd rather not think about right now. "Jacob Black."

The vampire's eyes travelled over his body, widening slightly when he took in Jacob's bare feet, and before that moment, Jake hadn't even thought about the fact that he probably looked like a homeless person in his ratty clothes. His embarrassment was short-lived though, because the vampire didn't say anything about it and he didn't look as if it bothered him at all. Apparently his imprint wasn't as haughty as he looked.

"My name is Edward Cullen," the vampire replied, and at that moment, Jacob was lost to him.

_Edward Cullen. Edward Cullen. Edward Cullen…_

The name moved through his mind like a caress, the vampire's voice—soft, smooth, and sensual—sending tingles traveling throughout his body. He couldn't remember anyone ever affecting him quite the way that Edward did. And he supposed that made sense, since the vampire was apparently his soul mate.

If just being near this vampire and hearing his voice could make him feel like this, Jake thought he might be willing to give up everything he had. And it wasn't as if he had a lot, but there were people in the world who had a lot less, and all he really wanted or needed in his life was love. If his imprint was willing to give him that, Jake figured he could do without anything else and still be happy.

_Against the grain should be a way of life  
What's worth the prize is always worth the fight  
Every second counts 'cause there's no second try  
So live like you'll never live it twice  
Don't take the free ride in your own life_

Jake was abruptly pulled out of his musings as Edward spoke once again. He looked mildly frustrated, but also uncertain, and Jake didn't understand the expression at all.

"What exactly is imprinting?"

Jacob's could feel his eyes widening, his surprise and confusion at Edward's impossibly knowing question probably obvious in his expression. How could the vampire know about the imprint? Jake was sure he hadn't said anything out loud about it…

And that was when he realized, it was possible that Edward had read his mind. There were stories about this too, stories that told of certain vampires having special abilities. The legends said that not all vampires had the same abilities and some didn't have any at all. He had to test his theory though, just in case he was wrong.

"Did I say that out loud?" he asked, almost positive his imprint would answer in the negative.

"No," Edward answered, and Jake was minutely surprised when he didn't elaborate. Apparently the vampire wasn't going to divulge his secrets so easily.

"You can hear my thoughts?" Jake pressed, needing to know for sure.

It would be a useful ability, he could admit, but Jake figured it was probably trying at times as well. People who knew about the ability would no doubt be irritated by Edward's ability to pry into their private thoughts, whether or not it was intentional.

It surprised Jake to realize that he wasn't bothered by his imprint's ability to see into his mind. He had nothing to hide, and even if he did, was more than capable of controlling his thoughts when he needed to. He supposed that was one good thing that had come from his transformation. Since his pack was able to see into each other's minds while in wolf form, Jake had learned to shield thoughts that he didn't want the others to see. It would be easy enough to do the same with his imprint if it was ever necessary.

"Uh…imprinting," Jake started, trying to figure out exactly how he should explain it. He had to make Edward see how important it was for him to give Jake a chance. "Imprinting is meant to bring a wolf to their destined mate. It's a connection that can't be denied, so deep that it hurts to be away from that person. An imprint is the most precious thing a wolf could ever find."

"So," Edward said, and he was obviously thinking hard about something, though Jake couldn't begin to guess what it was by his expression. He looked surprised at first, which morphed into pleasure, and then the worry came.

"You think your family is going to be angry about this?"

Oh…well at least the worry part made sense now. Jake sucked his bottom lip into his mouth, chewing on it. It was a nervous gesture he had never quite been able to get over. And again, he had to think of his family, the ones who would most likely either abandon him or forbid him from ever seeing his imprint again. With that thought swirling through his mind, Jake made his decision. He had to go his own way, to live his life the way he wanted to. He couldn't let others dictate his actions for the rest of his life; it just wasn't something he could do, especially when it made him unhappy.

Jake let his lip out from between his teeth when he noticed Edward was staring at his mouth. The heat in his gaze reassured Jake that the vampire was at least attracted to him.

"Yeah, they're not gonna like it," Jacob whispered, and he was worried, because he wasn't sure how he was going to tell his family about this. He didn't want to upset them, but they were the ones who didn't seem to care about his own unhappiness, so he couldn't feel too bad about it.

He actually _wasn't_ worried about Seth and Leah turning their backs on him. They wouldn't, he just knew it. Seth wasn't a judgmental person, so he probably wouldn't have much of an issue with the vampires, and Leah might seem like a bitch sometimes, but she was loyal to a fault. And even if her loyalty to Jake didn't extend that far, she wouldn't abandon her brother.

Edward captured his attention again when he stepped forward, looking sympathetic, offering comfort by laying a cool hand on Jake's shoulder. And as his imprint touched him for the first time, he felt like he was on fire, the flames licking through his veins until they settled in his groin and made him harder than he had ever been before. All that just from a touch on the shoulder and a look in his imprint's eyes.

Jake might have been embarrassed, but there was a matching heat in the vampire's eyes, and Jake could tell his overwhelming attraction was far from one-sided. Edward wanted him…badly.

Even if Edward wanted only friendship from him, Jake would fight against his family's wishes in order to have that. He would do whatever was necessary to keep Edward in his life. It would be worth it to lose everything else if he gained a relationship with his imprint. It would hurt, but pain was a necessary part of life.

He had known in the hospital that he had to take advantage of the chance meeting with his imprint. If he had let the boy go without ever speaking with him, he might have never seen him again. A mistake like that could have destroyed him.

Jake was tired of taking the easy way out, of doing what he was told even though he didn't want to. He was sick of following orders, and the only way to break away from that was to take control of his own life. Starting today, he was in charge of himself, and no one would make him stray from his chosen path.

_If today was your last day  
And tomorrow was too late  
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?  
Would you live each moment like your last?  
Leave old pictures in the past  
Donate every dime you have?  
Would you call old friends you never see?  
Reminisce old memories  
Would you forgive your enemies?  
Would you find that one you're dreamin' of?  
Swear up and down to God above  
That you finally fall in love  
If today was your last day_

In the midst of his internal declarations, Edward's free hand sank into his hair and pulled Jake into a kiss. Their lips were pressed together lightly, and their movement was slow and soft, but the kiss still made Jacob's heart race and his already hard cock twitch in excitement. Jake whimpered, fucking _whimpered_, but with as much pleasure as Edward's lips on his elicited, he couldn't even bring himself to care.

This might be the last time he saw Edward when his family didn't hate him for his apparent betrayal. He had to make the most of it and just not worry about what had yet to happen.

He remembered a time when all he really wanted was to make his parents proud of him, but now he had to let go of that notion. Jake was sure that his mom would have been proud of him no matter what, but his father was a different story.

It didn't matter anymore though, because he had found something that was more important to him than making his father proud. And if he was able to free himself from everyone's expectations, he would be able to live his life the way he wanted to, and he would hopefully be able to find happiness.

There would be no one to stop him from seeing Bella, and even if he wasn't allowed to tell her certain things, just seeing her would be enough. She had probably spent the last however many weeks wondering what she had done wrong. It was just like her to blame herself for anything and everything.

Jake wondered if leaving his pack would harm him in some way. He had heard of rogue wolves, so he didn't think going off alone could be too terribly harmful to his health, but he didn't know for sure. He only knew that losing contact with his imprint would be a whole lot worse.

Sometimes he wished that he could go back to a time when it was just him and his friends, enjoying a day at the beach or chatting as he tinkered with the rabbit. Those memories seemed ages old when in reality they were only a few weeks in the past.

From there he had been led straight into a world where he had supernatural abilities and mortal enemies. It seemed strange that one of his so-called enemies had turned out to be his imprint. He thought maybe he was meant to break away from the pack and fate had provided a way to do just that. Enemy becomes lover; cliché, right?

But this was something he had been dreaming of since he was little—and that sounded like something a little girl would do, but Jake was beyond caring—and Jake wasn't about to let it slip away just because their respective species weren't supposed to intermingle. In his head he was thanking anyone who would listen for bringing him to the person he was meant to be with, the one who he would hopefully grow to love. The only question was, would the vampire be able to return that love?

_If today was your last day  
Would you make your mark by mending a broken heart?  
You know it's never too late to shoot for the stars  
Regardless of who you are  
So do whatever it takes  
'Cause you can't rewind a moment in this life  
Let nothin' stand in your way  
Cause the hands of time are never on your side_

When the kiss ended, Jake pulled back a bit and opened his eyes, finding the vampire's gaze fixed on his face, the intensity in those eyes sending a tingle down Jake's spine. He wondered how old the vampire must be to have that kind of knowledge and wisdom shining in those golden depths.

As the fog in his brain dissipated a bit, Jake realized that he hadn't asked his imprint any of the important things he was desperate to know. He hadn't even had the courtesy to ask about how the vampire's family might react to their recent…bond. He shouldn't be putting all his own problems before his imprint's, it just wasn't right. He needed to correct that mistake.

"What about your family," Jake asked, somewhat hesitantly. He wasn't even completely sure the vampire was interested in pursuing a relationship with him, so he didn't know if the question was entirely appropriate. "Will they be upset when they find out I have a connection to you?"

That sadness and longing returned to Edward's eyes, and the vampire gave a sad attempt at a smile.

"Actually, they'll probably be thrilled about it if your presence in my life keeps my brooding to a minimum."

At that, Jake found himself almost overwhelmed by conflicting emotions. Edward had pretty much admitted to wanting Jake in his life, which made him unspeakable giddy, but seeing his imprint looking so sad and lonely sent those emotions to the back seat, allowing his concern to overshadow his happiness.

Jake didn't really know if it was appropriate to ask his imprint for more information, but Edward seemed to sense Jake's desire to know more, and he continued.

"I have been alone a long time," Edward stated, and then elaborated at Jake's confused frown. "I have my family, but I have no mate. Everyone else in my family has found someone to share their life with, but I have no one. It gets tiresome living in such an environment."

Jake nodded, even though he really couldn't understand what the vampire had gone through. "So they just want you to be happy? They'll accept me if it means your life will improve because of it?"

"Yes, they just want me to be happy," Edward replied. "My family is very close, and all of us respect each other's decisions. If I want you in my life, they will not object."

The vampire sounded so certain, and Jake could admit that he was envious of the kind of love the vampires obviously shared. Unlike Jake, Edward didn't worry that his family would reject him, and it sounded as if they would accept any decision Edward made in his life. That was how a family should be. Love was supposed to be unconditional, not based on the expectation that a child would live his or her life according to the parents' preferences.

"Do you want me in your life?"

Jake was almost afraid to hear the answer, but he had to know now. He wanted this, and even if Edward said no, Jake knew he would do whatever it took to change his mind. He wasn't going to let the opinions of his tribe stop him from pursuing something he had wanted his whole life. If he didn't, Jake knew he would regret it for the rest of his life, and he didn't expect any second chances.

Edward looked mildly surprised at his question, apparently of the opinion that Jake should already know the answer, but Jake wasn't taking anything for granted. He needed to hear the answer to be sure.

"It's strange," Edward replied, "but when I first saw you, I knew we were meant to find each other. Maybe it's a combination of your imprinting and a vampire's mating instinct, but I am drawn to you just as you are to me."

The relief Jake felt at Edward's admission was immediate. He could feel his face splitting into a wide smile, his happiness at this moment unlike anything he had ever felt. Jake pulled the vampire into a hug, crushing him against his chest, burying his nose in the burnished waves atop his imprint's head. He sighed as he felt the vampire's arms snaking around his waist, thinking he never wanted this moment to end.

_If today was your last day  
And tomorrow was too late  
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?_

It was time to leave all the expectations and disapproval behind and live according to his own rules. Having to choose between his family and his imprint wasn't something he wanted, but it seemed necessary. Jake knew that the tribe would never approve of his association with vampires, and they likely wouldn't allow it if he gave them the chance to control him. He would have to say goodbye to the safety and familiarity of his home and hope that his decision to leave—if it was necessary—was the right one.

He would do anything to keep his imprint in his life.

_Would you live each moment like your last?  
Leave old pictures in the past  
Donate every dime you have?  
Would you call old friends you never see?  
Reminisce old memories  
Would you forgive your enemies?  
Swear up and down to God above  
That you finally fall in love  
If today was your last day_

_

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